The original, the first, the car that my entire love of everything automotive roots down to: the 1974-77 Chevrolet Camaro. If there was any question as to the origins of my questionable taste in cars, here’s your answer. I wanted one of these more than any other car growing up. My first car was a 1975 model that looked like it had been parked next to the Great Salt Lake for fifteen years, and I have never had another since then. And at the rate that their prices keep climbing, that might remain the case. Lots of these Camaros were ditched into the yard over the years because they weren’t the storming factory examples that earlier versions were, and they weren’t new enough to be saved, unlike the rubber-bumpered variation that followed. But slowly, they’ve started to gain some ground and when done properly, they present very well.

This 1974 Camaro is claimed to be a Z/28, and whether it is or isn’t doesn’t really matter…there’s plenty of faked Z’s out there, and if this car is faked, it’s done so well that I really don’t care. The paint color is the original Medium Dark Green shade, which is a great choice for a mid-70s car…not too bright and showy, not too “earth toned”. I believe that is a 1977-only Z28-style air dam up front, which looks just fine on the car. I wish I could say I felt the same about the cowl hood, but there’s no way you’re going to win trying to color-match that paint. I’d leave it be. While the ’74 Z came with a pretty cool hood and spoiler stripe package, not having stripes on this car and instead opting for the small emblems on the car seems nice and sleepy.

What isn’t sleepy is the running gear. From the listing: “Beautifully restored original Z-28 with a freshly rebuilt M-21 transmission (close ratio) and rebuilt 3:73 posi rear. The engine is now a 383 rebuilt with Oliver rods, forged pistons, Dart aluminum heads (part # DRT-11511122p) and a Crane special mechanical roller camshaft (see specs in images). The carburetor is a Holley 750 double pumper. Ignition is Accel HEI with an MSD 6A multispark box. Exhaust is a 2.5″ true dual with factory exhaust pipe exit location and Flowmasters.”

So what’s needed? Whatever you choose to freshen up what’s already there. Fixing the non-op ammeter would be a priority, and that’s pretty much it from what the photos show. Painting the railroad ties front and rear really helps the look of the Camaro. It’s not super-disco, but instead everything I appreciate about a good unloved model build: address what was wrong, enhance what was right, and make desirable. It’s no longer a smog-engined slug and the visuals look plenty enhanced to me.

eBay Link: 1974 Chevrolet Camaro